PayPal Is 83% Below Its High. Here's What Would Send the Stock Back There.

PayPal stock has plummeted 83% from its July 2021 peak of $305.13, despite solid fundamentals including 56% growth in payment volume and 64% growth in free cash flow over five years. The main concern is weakness in the company's branded checkout solution, which grew only 2% in recent quarters, suggesting loss of market share to competitors like Apple Pay and potential sensitivity to consumer discretionary spending. For the stock to recover, the branded checkout segment must accelerate, though the author remains skeptical of a full recovery to previous highs.